By the light of the moon
by Hellsleprechaun
Summary: Klaus' first change, Mikael's realisation that he was not his son, his sibling's reactions and what led to Esther's decision to turn her back on her son.


**This is just something I've been thinking about for a while, I've been a bit obsessed with Mikael for a while although I don't really like him.**

**I do not own the vampire diaries, it belongs to L.J Smith and the CW respectively.**

Mikael was standing outside his home in the darkness of the night, the dark did not matter to him anymore, he could see as clearly as if it were the middle of the day.

He could see farther than before too, he could see the owl seated in the tree braches a few hundred yards away, he could see the path that the men had trodden through the forest earlier that day, and he could see a young deer wandering innocently through the trees.

He mused about the last few weeks, the unbearable had happened- he and Esther had lost another child. Henrich, their youngest, so smart, so kind and only thirteen years old. Mikael felt a stabbing pain in his gut at the thought of his child's still, lifeless body.

The tears of his children, Niklaus' guilt, Esther's heartbreak.

The two of them had known that they could not let another of their children die, if they lost another, they could not survive it.

He knew that they would be forever on edge, whenever Elijah was injured during battle, or if Klaus stayed out with a young lady all night, or even when Rebekah and her friends disappeared from their sight. They would never be able to end the paralysing fear that some misfortune would befall another of their offspring- unless something was done.

So they had consulted Ayanna, she had been disgusted at their plan to protect their children, she told them that the spirits would turn on them. She had refused to help, so it was left to Esther.

And now they were vampires, fast, strong, immortal. He and Esther would never have to see any child of theirs suffer through illness, or injury or old age.

However that came at a price- a thirst for blood, a thirst they could not control.

Rebekah was the first to fall victim to her cravings, killing a villager a few nights ago as they burned the white oak ash. The next had been Finnick, then Kol, then he himself, followed by Elijah and finally by Niklaus.

His trip down memory lane was ruined when he was disturbed by a loud cry of suffering from within the hut. He did not even think, he reacted instinctively, drawing his sword and bursting into his home, his quick eyes scanning the room for danger.

His son Klaus was lying on the floor, which was dusted with soot from the fire, releasing screaming sobs, the rest of the family were gathered around him, watching in horrified distress. They wanted to help but did not understand how.

Esther fell to her knees beside him and clasped his chin in her hands, Rebekah gasped noisily as she noted that her brother's eyes had changed from their usual blue to a bright, unnerving yellow.

Esther smoothed back his hair, but it did nothing to comfort him, he shrieked again and a sickening crack echoed through the room.

A bone protruded from the young man's shoulder in an unnatural way. His shouts reached even louder levels, his agony was almost tangible.

"Mother? Mother? What's happening to him?" Rebekah squawked in her panic.

" What do we do?" Elijah asked practically.

Esther looked up and met her eldest son's gaze fondly, "grab his legs." Was her only reply.

Between the two of them, Elijah and Finn carried their brother outside into the edges of the forest, where their mother led them.

"Lay him down here- _gently_." She emphasised the last word tearfully.

"What? Leave him out here?" Rebekah questioned incredulously, and although he remained silent, Elijah seemed to be in agreement with his sister.

"Yes, here, it's best for us all. Don't worry, my dear, "she reached out and took her daughter's hand, "he'll be alright."

She kissed the still screaming Klaus on the head once and ushered them all back inside.

The family sat in their small but homey living room in shocked silence.

Elijah had his arm around a trembling Rebekah, offering support although he himself was as confused as she. One look over to his brothers revealed that they too were clueless as to what was happening to Niklaus.

If it had been anyone other than his mother who had ordered him to leave his brother in the woods, then he would not have obeyed. Even now, the temptation to run outside and make sure for himself that his brother was still alive was almost overpowering.

Mikael was stricken. It could not be true. He was still unsure as to what was happening to his …son? But he was positive that what he had seen in Klaus was familiar, he had once heard another man in the village bragging about how on one occasion he had seen a man changing into a beast.

" _the man fell to all fours hollering, his eyes glowed yellow, his teeth grew until they formed fangs and I confess, I lost any envy I had ever felt for those creatures. It was as though the poor bastard was being tortured. His arms and legs began to snap and bend at various angles, like he was being ripped apart from the inside out."_

He glanced up at the window, the light of the full moon shone through, he cursed.

His son was a werewolf. But how?

As far as he was aware a bite could not infect a human, and even if it could, none who had been bitten had lived to tell the tale.

The cynical part of his mind reared it's ugly head, he knew of one sure way for a person to be one of them- if they inherited the gene from their father.

He turned his furious gaze from where it had been boring into the fire to meet his wife's eyes.

"He's not my son." He stated quietly, and seemingly coldly, only she could hear the many raging emotions warring for dominance, in his voice.

"It's late, perhaps we should retire for the night." Elijah hinted to his younger siblings.

"But Elijah-" Kol began, he was silenced by a pointed look from his eldest brother.

Mikael barely noticed the absence of his children from the room.

"Why?" He asked, still speaking in a low voice.

"I'm so sorry, my love." She wept, not bothering to wipe the tears from her cheeks.

"Why?"

"Because I love you, Mikael. I've never loved another, I never intended to hurt you." She insisted passionately.

"That was not what I meant. Why did you betray me? What quality did this _man _posses that I do not?" He sneered.

"I was young, I was foolish. I felt alone, you and I had been quarrelling, he made me feel attractive and interesting and … it was once. I regretted it instantly and have done every day since. If I could go back and change it…"

"Then you would not." He interrupted. "Because that would mean that your precious Niklaus would never have been conceived!" He snapped harshly.

She looked at him in surprise and he saw the conflict in her expression, a part of her wanted to argue but she could not, because no matter who the father was, she would never regret the birth of any one of her children.

"He is your Niklaus, too."

"No. Not anymore, in fact, not ever. That boy is not my son."

"I wish to God that he was. When I discovered that I was carrying him, I prayed to the sprits that my baby was yours and not his."

When he did not reply, she continued. "_You're _his father. You raised him, fed him, protected him. He loves you, admires you, you are the only father that he has ever known." She continued in a ore subdued tone. "I do not expect your forgiveness for myself, Mikael, but I beg you not to hold this against Niklaus." She implored, her eyes filled with desperation.

"What do you propose we do? Never tell him? That boy is many things, but he is not a fool! He will know, as will everybody else! They will all know that I have been shamed!" He roared, leaping from his chair, grabbing it and hurling it viciously against the wall, where it broke and fell in a heap.

He strode loudly out of the hut and back outside into the darkness, he buried his face in his rough, calloused hands and let out a bellow of fury, anguish and betrayal.

The following morning, Esther and the boys searched the forest for Niklaus, they had to carry him home, draping a blanket over his naked form.

They lay him down in the centre of the living room, where he had been lying the previous night as his first transformation began.

There was a tense silence between he and the others. Even though Elijah had led them out of the room, their hut was a small space and it was difficult to have a private conversation.

Each of the siblings were watching their sleeping brother with a different expression etched onto their faces.

Rebekah watched him with worry, a genuine, compassionate worry for her older brother. She did not care that he was different, that he was an abomination amongst abominations. She was simply concerned for her brother's health.

Elijah watched Klaus with an almost disbelief, he could not believe that his impulsive, wild little brother was…well wilder than his appearance would suggest. He half expected Klaus to wake up laughing, to tell them that it had all just been an elaborate practical joke. Esther would scold him half heartedly, Mikael would be irritable with him for having fun and he and the others would laugh at their brother's sometimes ridiculous sense of humour.

Finn was looking at his younger brother warily, and had made sure to keep Kol behind him and his hand on his sword hilt- just in case.

Kol stared at Nik with a youthful curiosity, he was excited for when he woke up, so that he could ask him questions: what had it been like? Did he remember? Was he even faster that a regular vampire?

As Klaus opened his eyes, Mikael noted that he was alive and unharmed and stormed out of the hut, uncaring to the fact that he was behaving like a hormone ridden teenager.

Back inside the hut, Rebekah ran to Klaus and hugged him tightly, while Elijah lay his hand on his head and smiled down at him.

Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed that Kol moved to approach him, but Finn blocked his path subtly, or as subtly as Finn ever did anything and made up an errand he needed Kol to do, something that conveniently enough, involved Kol having to leave the hut.

Klaus rolled his eyes at his older brother, "damn it, Finn, you've ruined breakfast for me, I thought I'd eat him first then move on to Rebekah for lunch and finally kill the rest of you for evening entertainment!" Klaus quipped sarcastically.

Finn glowered at him in response, "if you ever lay a hand on him, or any of them, I will not hesitate to run you through." He warned dangerously.

Klaus smiled, "I know. You know I'd do the same."

Finnick nodded once and walked forwards, clapping his little brother on the shoulder, before seating himself on the aging wooden bench at their small, rickety table.

After half an hour Esther requested a moment alone with Klaus, the others left reluctantly, knowing that no argument they offered would get them anywhere, other than on their mother's nerves.

Klaus looked up at Esther and saw that her eyes were brimming, he stood unsteadily and sat besides her, engulfing her hand in his. "Please do not cry, mother. It's not so bad. I'll try to control it, I'll know what to do next time." He attempted to sooth her.

"I'm sorry, Niklaus, I never intended for this to happen to you. I…If I had known…" She trailed off, unsure as to how to finish that sentence.

"Father is… not my father?" He inquired with uncertainty.

She felt more tears flowing as she heard the hope in his voice, he wanted her to deny it, he wanted her to tell him that Mikael was his father, that nothing had really changed.

But everything had changed. "No. I only realised it fully last night. I had always prayed that my secret would never be uncovered."

She saw the hurt that crossed her son's face. "I do not love you less than any of the others. I always knew that there was a chance you were not Mikael's son, but I still loved you the same- never doubt that."

He nodded once and they lapsed into silence.

"Are you not going to ask?" She broke the silence.

"Ask what?" He wondered with real confusion, shooting his mother a inquisitive look.

"About the man… your father." She replied awkwardly, unable to make eye contact as she spoke of her betrayal.

"No. I don't care, mother, I do not know him and I do not care to."

Esther gazed at her child with admiration, she was stunned at the loyalty he displayed to Mikael. The two of them did not see eye to eye on so many matters that she had, perhaps foolishly, assumed that Niklaus would be eager to meet the wolf who had helped to conceive him.

As she was about to inform her son of this, Mikael entered the hut, and both she and Niklaus were then lost for words.

This did not perturb Mikael, he had something to say and he did not want to be interrupted.

"Listen to me, boy. I will not throw you out, merely because your mother loves you and I do not want to cause problems for her and my children." His tone cold and hard.

Klaus opened his mouth to speak, to tell the man he still considered his father, that it did not matter to him, that he did not want anything to change, but Mikael refused to let him speak.

"But make no mistake about it, _boy_, you are my greatest shame!" He snarled, before hastily exiting the room, with an almost intolerable ache building in his chest.

As he had wandered outside in the warm morning air, he had had time to contemplate the situation he found himself in.

His wife had betrayed him, she had lain with another man, she had borne this man's child. A child he had treated as his own for over twenty years.

He still loved Esher, nothing could change that. She could plunge a knife into his chest and leave him to bleed to death, his love for her would not decrease, not by one single degree.

He groaned loudly, the turmoil inside him, threatening to boil over.

It was excruciating, the thought of _his _wife, his beautiful loving wife, being with another.

He wanted to find that man, that son of a bitch, and skin him, he wanted to rip him apart, make him sorry for ever looking at Esther.

But even worse than that, worse than the rage and the emotional agony, was the realisation that he loved Niklaus. He adored all of his children, even if he did not always like them, they and Esther meant everything to him.

But Klaus was not his son. He was a man that he had ended up raising. People were going to find out that the boy was not his, and Mikael would be a laughing stock.

As he sat in the bedroom he shared with his wife, he repressed the large part of himself that insisted that he had done the wrong thing by rejecting Niklaus.

He could not allow himself to be humiliated more than he was already going to be.

Esther watched her husband exit the room with a strong sense of dread.

Mikael may have promised that he would not exile her son, and she believed him, he had meant the promise when he made it, Mikael always intended to keep his word.

However, she knew her husband, he might believe that he could live with Niklaus, ignoring his existence, but she knew better -he would not be able to do it.

As Mikael had admitted, Klaus was his greatest shame, Mikael did not tolerate that which caused him shame.

She let her eyes travel to her son, his eyes were wet, but he stubbornly refused to let the tears fall.

Klaus was strong, he would be alright, he would survive no matter what happened.

She knew what she had to do, and she despised it, she would have to hurt her son badly, so badly he would never forgive her, she would turn her back on him, if he was gone then Mikael would not pursue him. He would not be alone, she knew that much, Rebekah would never abandon her brother, nor would Elijah.

She rose to her feet and met Niklaus' eyes, he had such beautiful eyes, she thought.

"I understand if you detest me, sweetheart."

"I could never detest you, mother!" He breathed in disbelief.

"You will," she promised, pressing a kiss to his long blonde hair. She tried to put every ounce of love she felt for her son into that one gesture.

She prayed that one day he would understand.

**There was no real point to this. I actually only thought that this would be one page long, but I got a bit carried away. I just wondered about how Klaus' transformation effected the whole family and what led to Esther doing what she did to Klaus. As neither Finn or Kol have come into it yet, I have no idea what they are like or about what their relationship with Klaus and each other is like.**

**Please review.**


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